The present invention relates to an improved bread wrapping machine and a method of use of the machine.
In a known system for high-speed packaging of bread, loaves are conveyed from an oven to packaging lines. Automatic gates and transfer mechanism can direct the loaves to side-by-side packaging lines. For a premium package, each line can include a slicer with an outfeed discharge conveyor leading to an automatic horizontal wrapper. The wrapper applies a snug and sealed wrapping, which can help maintain the bread slices in an aesthetically pleasing and reasonably uniform loaf. From the wrapper, the loaves are transferred to an automatic bagger. The bag supplied at the bagger is typically much looser than the inner wrapper. The double package enhances the appearance of a premium product. From the bagger the loaves can be conveyed to other transfer equipment, such as loaders and stackers. At least the slicer, wrapper, and bagger can have the same horizontal, linear feed path, and side-by-side lines can be closely spaced together to save room on the factory floor.
For the same or a different bread product, loaves from a slicer can be conveyed directly to a bagger, without an inner wrapper. The slicer and bagger can be the same as the corresponding components used in the premium package described above. If it is desired to use the same slicer and bagger, the sliced loaves must bypass the wrapping machine. One proposed system uses a “portable” wrapping machine on casters, which can be disconnected and moved laterally off the feed line. A separate transfer conveyor is inserted in the feed line to move the sliced loaves along the path to the bagger. Another possibility is to route the bread around the wrapping machine by separate conveyors, gates, and other transfer mechanism. These systems have the advantage of being optionally used for “single-bagged” or “wrapped and bagged” product, but require more floor space and routing equipment.